


Romance in Espanol

by chlolou1208



Category: Emmerdale, vanity - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emmerdale - Freeform, F/F, Internship, Slow Burn, Spain, Summer, Vanity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:21:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25674997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chlolou1208/pseuds/chlolou1208
Summary: Charity and Vanessa are interns at an Animal Sanctuary in Spain, they meet for the first time and bond in many ways along the journey. Slow burn, beach kisses and Vanessa’s love for animals included :) (Charity and Vanessa are also teenagers, like 17/18)
Relationships: Charity Dingle and Vanessa Woodfield - Relationship
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first vanity AU! I have no idea where it’s heading at the minute, I’m just going with the flow. This chapter is just setting the scene etc, but the next chapter will be getting into the fun stuff. Comments appreciated, give me ideas!

***Leeds Bradford airport, 1992.***

Flashes of long blonde hair gush past the crowds of people in the airport as Charity practically sprints towards gate number 12, pushing the boundaries of being late for her flight. She of course blames it on her family, Lisa’s fussing over whether she’d packed everything properly and Cain teasing her about her lazy choice of outfit for the airport. _“Anyone would’ve thought you’d crawled out of a sweaty hostel dressed in those”_ he’d said, gesturing to her oversized black t shirt that was falling past her shoulders and her baggy jogging bottoms.

They weren’t due to get to Spain until 9pm so she figured the summer heat would have died down a bit so her outfit wouldn’t force her to overheat. She was flying out as part of a summer internship, her family had presented the idea of it to her and she’d snapped their hands off at the offer, desperate to get out of the clutches of Emmerdale. They needed people for help with the general maintenance of a new animal centre they’d set up somewhere in Valencia, whether that be showing visitors round, answering phone calls, helping with the actual animals or working on the food and drinks bars. Charity had turned her nose up at the animals part but everything else sounded like a free holiday so she was in from the moment Zack had given her the leaflet for it. He’d also given it to Chas and they were originally supposed to be going together until Chas had pulled out, Charity didn’t care though, she’d go by herself, she always did. It was a 2 week internship yet the suitcase she carried was fairly small, she didn’t have many items to jam pack it with. She carried a small rucksack with a crossword book in for the plane ride there, she wasn’t the biggest fan of planes so she planned to distract herself as much as possible. And, it was her first time flying alone, well, not _alone_ as she’d be flying with the bunch of people who were also on the internship, along with two mentors, there names were Fred and Rita, whom she’d talked with on the phone a lot to prepare before flying out.

She approaches her gate, already she spots the other interns all wearing yellow caps, _gross_ , she thinks, knowing full well that they’d make her wear one too, she sighs and steps up to them.

Rita turns immediately towards her, “Charity finally! We were beginning to think you weren’t coming” she hands her a cap, a bottle of water, a sticker for charity to label her name on and a boarding pass while speaking.

“Yeah soz about that” Charity grabs the pass and holds it between her teeth as she rushes to put the water in her rucksack. “Do I really have to wear this?” She grimaces at the yellow hat she’s holding up.

“Well if you wanna come with us to Spain then yeah you do” Rita smiles sarcastically, and shoves the cap she’d snatched out of Charity’s hands onto her blonde head. Charity crumbles under her breath slightly and adjusts the cap on her head. She eyes the rest of the group, they’re as she thought they’d be, all dressed prim and proper. They’re enthusiasm radiates off of them, especially the one with the egg head, Charity laughs internally at his shiny head, she squints to read the label on his t shirt, ‘Paddy’. _What sort of a name is that_? He’s stood chatting with a smaller girl, who’s smiling along at whatever comes tumbling from his mouth, she thinks her label says ‘Rhona’. There’s three lads stood off to the side from the rest of them, squabbling with each other, she later learns that these are the Barton brothers. There is one girl who’s not yet joined the rest of them, but Charity sees the yellow cap identifying her with the rest of the interns. She’s talking with her mother Charity presumes, who Charity guesses is some business woman with better things to be doing than dropping her daughter off at the airport. “Goodbye Vanessa” She hears, the woman strolling away without even waiting for the girl-Vanessa, to answer. She joins the rest of the group silently.

They board the plane after around half an hour and are hurried into their seats. They’ve been partnered up, ‘the buddy system’ Rita calls it, and Charity is now sitting next to Vanessa, who’s barely spoken two words to her since they’d sat down. She glances to Charity frequently though before lift off, a nervous look on her face but she smiles anyway. Charity can’t help but to smile back.

Fred and Rita walk down the isle, quickly ticking each of them off on a register clipped to a clipboard before finding their seats further back in the plane. Luckily, Charity thinks, they’re seated on a two seater instead of the three seats throughout the plane, at least they don’t have to sit next to a chatty old lady or a dirty old man or something.

As the plane slowly rolls along the runway, Charity sees Vanessa clenching her fists. “You okay?”

Vanessa nods, “I-I’ve not been on a plane before”

Charity widens her eyes, “what not ever?”

She shakes her head, her pony tail swishing. “My mum and step dad prefer cruises”

_Wow._ She thinks, remembering how from a young age she’d travelled on planes to and from Scotland to visit family. “It’s only a short flight, try going to sleep when we’re in the air and it’ll feel as if we’ve got there in no time” She smiles are her. _Since when did she smile so much?_

“I’ll try” Vanessa says to her, releasing a breath.

“Oh also…” Charity fishes inside her trouser pocket and pulls out two small hard boiled sweets and then hands one to Vanessa. “Suck one of these when we lift off it’ll help with your ears poppin’”

She plops one in her own mouth.

Vanessa smiles and takes the sweet, a small ‘thanks’ muttered before she unwraps it.

“I’m Vanessa by the way” she grins.

Charity nods, “Charity”

The plane creeps along to the runway, and upon reaching the head of it, it starts speeding up until the passengers are forced back into their seats, heads shoved back against the strong force of gravity as the plane sweeps off into the air. Charity sees Vanessa gripping the arm rest between them for dear life, and halfway through their ascent she places her own hand on top of Vanessa’s, hoping to calm her slightly. She doesn’t remove it until the intercom announces that all passengers were able to remove their seatbelts.

*

The flight runs smoothly, they’d slept for some of it once Vanessa had finally relaxed. It took her a while, she’d told Charity about 30 minutes into the flight that she was desperate for the loo but she daren’t leave her seat, the taller blonde had laughed but had gone with Vanessa to the toilet, waiting outside in the short line for her to finish. They’d done some of Charity’s crossword, she was stuck on a particular one when Vanessa peaked across her shoulder at the clues. _“That ones ‘arouse’ I think”…._ Charity had jumped a little at the voice, she’d assumed she was still sleeping. She’d turned her head to see Vanessa with her chin almost on her own shoulder and then had used her pen to lightly trace the letters in the boxes, going back over them harder when she’d realised that the answer was in fact, ‘arouse’. “ _…so it is”_ she’d answered.

They’ve just left the airport and were now on the coach to their hotel, they were staying in a place that was just adjacent to the Animal Sanctuary, Charity was glad because it meant she’d be able to sleep in later in mornings. She rests her head against the window, gazing out at the palm trees they pass and all the illuminated buildings. The landscape was beautiful, the sky was still bright despite the late hour and the weather was blissfully warm but not boiling hot.

The hotel wasn’t the fanciest but she wasn’t expecting it since it was free after all. It wasn’t a dump though, far from it. The outside was a beige colour, and the name of the hotel ‘ **Le verde hotel’** was lit up in huge neon letters. There were a few people chilling on the benches outside and even more people making use of the all inclusive bar inside. They’re given keys to their rooms upon arrival, they’d be sharing with their ‘buddy’ according to Rita and Fred, so that meant Charity was with Vanessa in a room.

After promising to be up bright and early in the morning to begin working, Rita and Fred had dismissed them all for the first night so they were basically able to roam free and do whatever they liked. Everyone had headed to their rooms to settle, suitcases trailing behind the group.

*

“It’s bigger than I thought” Charity says, letting the door to their room fall closed after holding it open for Vanessa. They both scan the room, there’s two single beds, each with a bedside table next to them, a large window with a picturesque view of the beach that Charity was definitely going to be spending a lot of time on during this trip. There’s also a bathroom, decorated in modern white and a decent sized bath and shower.

“The view is gorgeous” Vanessa says, walking over to peer out of the window.

Charity agrees. She takes a look at their sleeping situation. “Could have had bigger beds though eh”

Vanessa nods, dragging her suitcase next to the bed nearest the window, presumably claiming that as hers. “I know, I’m scared I might fall out of that I’m so used to having a double at home” she laughs a little.

Charity thinks for a moment and then folds her arms. “We could push ‘em together? Maybe it’s be bigger somehow?”

Vanessa tilts her head, considering it. “Yeah alright”

Charity comes round to Vanessa’s bed and the two push and push until the two beds meet, making sure to untuck the duvet covers from getting stuck in between the two. “There we go” Charity wipes her forehead and stands back as if admiring their work.

“So what do you wanna do?” Vanessa sits on the bed. “I mean we could unpack but…”

Charity twists her mouth into a pout, her thinking cap on until her face lights up with an idea. “They said we could go anywhere right?” To which Vanessa nods.

…

“Charity!”…gushes of water come flying at Vanessa, who shields her face laughing.

They’d ended up at the beach, it was only a five minute walk and what better way to spend their first night. They’d left their suitcases in the middle of the room, slipped on some sandals, Vanessa had grabbed a shawl, and had past the bar, Charity’s pretty sure the Barton brothers were already bladdered, and walked the short distance to the sand and sea.

“Come get me back then babe” Charity held her arms open, inviting Vanessa to try splash her with water. She starts running along the shore, the smaller blonde behind her laughing breathless as she runs to catch up with her.

“Ouch!”

Charity whips around to see Vanessa crouching, she walks over to her quickly, “what’s wrong?”

She realises she’d been played a little too late, because she’s now soaked in sea water with her jaw hanging wide open. “Vanessa!”

“Got you back didn’t I?” She says cockily.

“Yeah ya flaming well did” Charity scoffs a laugh and tugs at her wet jogging bottoms.

Vanessa smiles and then nods her head in the direction of the hotel. “Come on, we better get back before you freeze to death in those wet clothes”

“Erm we’re in the middle of Spain babe, don’t think that’s gonna happen anytime soon”

Vanessa just laughs and they walk back to their room. She likes this Vanessa, she thinks, she’s glad none of the other group members had snapped her up, she’d hate to be stuck with one of the Barton’s or worse…Paddy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanessa and Charity spend their first day at the internship. Features fluff and baby goats What more could you want? 
> 
> Next chapter will centre around protective Charity while a customer at the bar gets a little up close and personal with Vanessa, so stick around for that.

It’s an early rise the next morning, they’re woken up abruptly by phone calls from Fred and Rita asking them to quickly make use of the all-inclusive breakfast and to meet them in the dining area. Charity and Vanessa rush to complete their morning tasks, still a little tired from yesterday but the smaller blonde was clearly enthusiastic for the day ahead. They walk to the cereal area of the breakfast buffet, grabbing a bowl each and some juice.

“So you’re into all this animal loving malarkey then are ya?” Charity asks as they make their way to find seats next to the other interns, Vanessa sits down next to Rhona who’s across from Paddy and Charity plops down across from her.

“Yeah, I wanna be a vet when I’m older so this will be helpful on my CV and things, why aren’t you?”

Charity spoons a bunch of coco pops in her mouth after mixing the milk a little to turn it chocolate-y. “Mmm” she shrugs, “I just came for the holiday…” she swallows, “but I don’t hate animals, and I’ll be good at all the people talking stuff because I work in my cousins pub sometimes” Vanessa nods along, the two continue chatting between themselves until Rita and Fred call a silence amongst them all.

“Right guys, so today we’ll be going through the basics with you all, showing you the cleaning methods, the feeding, watering the animals…I have uniforms for you here” Rita holds up a pair of dark green overalls to which Charity turns her nose up at, making Vanessa hold in a laugh. “So if you can pass them down..”The packets of overalls are passed down the line, Vanessa and Charity receiving theirs last. “We’ll be in the animal sanctuary until lunch, then you’ll have a couple of hours free to grab food and to change clothes, then around 3pm we’ll be meeting back here where we’ll walk to the **‘Bebé and comö’** ’s which is the bar you’ll be working at until around 8, then you can do whatever you like…sound good?” There’s a simultaneous hum between the interns, some louder than others.

Rita and Fred head back to their rooms after giving their talk, leaving the interns to get to know each other. The smallest Barton, Finn, turns to the girls at the end of the table. “I’m Finn by the way, nice to meet you all”. They introduce themselves, Charity going last and still reserving herself a little from the rest of the group. She thinks Ross is a cheeky so and so, he’s already chatted each of the females up on this table after telling them he bagged a waitress’ number last night at the bar. Finn seems nice enough, he asks where each of them are from and about their families, usual chit chat. Turns out most of them are from Yorkshire, Charity is surprised to learn that Vanessa especially lives near her in Hotten. She tells the group she lives with her mum and Step Dad, and that she no longer sees her real dad for some reason she decides to leave out. She learns that Pete, Ross and Finn work on a farm with their parents, and that they’ve probably done business with her family once or twice. Apparently Rhona and Paddy travelled from their university in London and they’re already studding to become vets, something which Vanessa perks up at and asks them questions about. Charity tells them about living in a small village named Emmerdale and doesn’t really reveal much else.

Vanessa says to Charity they should head back to their room and change so they do, and Charity complains about the overalls more than once. They still have about 20 minutes before having to go and meet Fred and Rita again, the two sit on their phones, the silence lingering surprisingly comfortably between them until Vanessa sighs and throws her phone a little further down the bed.

“So you live in Emmerdale? What’s it like?” She asks, crossing her legs at the ankles and turning to Charity, her overalls slightly uncomfortable as she tries to lay sideways to look at the other woman.

“Small and quiet but decent yeah, how’s Hotten?” Charity turns off her own phone and turns to Vanessa.

“The opposite” she scoffs. “It’s always so busy, it’s weird really that my mum chose to live there, it’s not really her scene” Vanessa seems to tense at even saying her mums name, her fingers playing with her pony tail.

“What’s your mum like? I-I saw her at the airport, she seems…”

“-snobbish, uptight, bitchy?”

Charity’s eyes widen and her eyebrows raise. “I mean…”

“It’s fine, you can agree, most people do” she laughs.

“You’re not a fan then?”

Vanessa shakes her head, an almost sad look appearing on her face. “She’s just not a nice person really…anyways” she shakes her head. “How about your family? You didn’t mention much about them downstairs”

“Yeah…my mum is dead and my dads a drunk, don’t see him anymore”

“I’m sorry-“

“Don’t be”

Vanessa scoots further to the taller blonde, almost crossing over onto Charity’s side of the bed, offering support if needed without being smothering.

“I’ve got other family, I live with my older cousin Chas, the one who I work for, and her son Aaron, then I’ve got Lisa and Zack who’re basically my replacement parents-“ she scoffs, “they’re the ones that told me about this internship thing, they said it’s be good to get away for a bit and… _’try and find myself’_ apparently” Charity rolls her eyes at that.

It’s true though, deep down she knew she needed to escape for a while. After all that’s gone on for the past…well forever, she needed a couple weeks in the sand and the sun to be able to begin healing. To have fun and be a teenager, she’d missed out on her early teenage years, after all living on the streets and working as a sex worker wasn’t exactly making the most of her teen years. Then having to cope with living with her alcoholic and mentally abusive dad didn’t exactly give her the best childhood. At least now, living with the other Dingles she was free physically from her past life. Mentally though, it’d always haunt her. Cold nights spent huddled next to a park bench. Aches spiralling through her body after yet another _client_.

She shakes her head, as if shaking away the memories and focuses on the blonde woman in front of her who’s looking at her weirdly, like almost as if she’s gazing into her deep and damaged soul or something. The smaller woman just smiles though and then stands. “I’m glad you did come”

Charity nods. “Me too”

*

She swears she’s gonna end up killing Ross by the end of this trip, he’s been grinding on her nerves ALL day, practically begging her and Vanessa to be in his bed by the end of the night. He’d taken his top off slowly, teasingly, baring his muscly shoulders underneath his overalls. Vanessa had just laughed at him and rolled her eyes, patting his shoulders and whispering a ‘ _dream on love’_ to him as she passed by. They were in a group with Ross and his taller brother Pete, and were assigned to the farm animal area of the sanctuary. There were pigs that stunk the whole area out, Charity gagged every time she walked by them and Vanessa had laughed at her for it. She should be used to it, after helping Lisa and Zack feed the pigs back at home, but that was only a few, there were dozens and dozens here, even tiny baby ones who made annoying little noises throughout the day. They’d cleaned the pens, much to Charity’s disgust, and had refilled their water and food. The goats were more manageable, she even found one almost quite cute, it was a caramel colour and it came up to her all the time, nibbling on her fingernails. Vanessa had loved every second of it, she’d told her loads of facts about each and every animal, _“did you know that you can teach goats to come to their name like a dog would?”_ , Charity would go along and pretend she didn’t know any of the facts (she did know some obviously, like the fact that cows drink water and not milk despite the association with it) and that Vanessa had told her something extremely interesting and enlightening.

It’s almost lunch time now and they’re nearly finished refilling the food and water for the meerkat pen. A particular one has been getting all up close and personal with Vanessa for the last ten minutes, not that Charity’s been starring at her or anything. _Ha._

“Hello there little one…-“ Vanessas cooing to the little thing, making faces at it as if it was a baby or something. She’s holding food out in her hands and the meerkat snatches it from her palm and runs to hide it somewhere near the bushes further into the pen, it runs back after to Vanessa again, waiting for more food that she’ll no doubt give it.

Charity contains a laugh as the meerkat nips Vanessa’s behind, grimacing a little when Vanessa let’s out an ‘ow!’ and then trying to turn away as if she’d been caught watching her when Vanessa rubs at the sore spot on her bum.

Vanessa comes over to her then, carrying an empty food bowl in her glowed hands. “You all finished?” She asks Charity.

“Yep, think they have too so we might be able to have lunch early” Charity nods towards Pete and Ross, who’re sat off to the side taking selfies with some of the meerkats. Vanessa laughs at them and starts walking out of the pen, quickly closing the gate behind Charity.

“All done lads?” Fred shouts, peering over Ross and Petes shoulders with a stern look on his face. The boys put their phones away laughing a little as if they’re school boys who’d been caught texting in the middle of class.

“Sorry Fred” Obviously Pete apologies, while Ross rolls his eyes and asks when lunch is. Fred allows them all an extra quarter of an hour for lunch and tells them to be back at the hotel for ‘ _three on the dot’_ with suitable clothing for working behind a bar.

After quickly heading back to the hotel to change, Charity into a pair of denim shorts and a t shirt and Vanessa into a yellow summery dress, the two head into the town to see what food is on offer. Just their look to see Rhona and Paddy on the way, Charity grumbles internally.

“Hi!” Rhona shouts. “You looking for somewhere to eat?”

“Yeah we are, all I can see so far though is night clubs and posh restaurants” Vanessa says to them, her hand coming up to cover her eyes from the sun.

Paddy then points towards a van selling a variety of Mexican food and they all head there together, Vanessa turning around to make sure Charity is following them. They all choose a simple taco, but Vanessa has one with chicken instead, and it comes with a drink of their choice. Rhona suggests eating it on the beach, there’s a few rocks near the top of the beach so they park themselves there to have dinner.

“So how was your morning?” Rhona asks from the rock across.

“It was fun yeah! We got to feed the baby goats and hold all the little piglets, how was yours?” Vanessa replies enthusiastically, muttering a little ‘oops’ when some of the taco filling falls into the sand.

“We got to watch the pandas, they were so cute and cuddly and one even looked a bit like me because it was really chunky and clumsy…”

Paddy trails off, Vanessa smiling at him. Charity can’t help but smile a little at his enthusiasm.

“I hope we get to do that soon” Vanessa says, going back to her taco.

Charity finishes her food and wraps the paper up in a scrunched up ball and holds it in her lap. “So uh, you wanna be vets?” She asks the two across from them.

“Yeah, we met on our veterinary course university, what do you…do you do anything?” Rhona asks awkwardly.

“I’m a barmaid” Charity deadpans, her hands cheering and face grinning sarcastically, “whoop whoop”

“Hey don’t put yourself down, maybe one day you’ll own a pub and employ your own landlady’s” Vanessa says from beside her. Charity turns to her, a look on her face as if to say _how can you be so positive about everything_.

“Doubt it babe, wouldn’t know the first thing about owning a business me” she twiddles her fingers together, distracting herself from Vanessa’s optimistic face.

“Right now you don’t, but I bet you ya could one day” Vanessa says, a hopeful grin on her face beaming at Charity’s face before going back to take a bite from her food.

“Vanessa’s right, you’ll probably learn loads of skills here, and you never know what could happen in the future” Rhona points out.

_Who are these people and why are they all so nice to her? It’s sickening yet feels like a warm blanket warming her cold heart._ If she were having this conversation back at home it’d be mocking scoffs and insults being thrown her way, not encouragement. Cain would be turning his nose up at her and Chas would be cackling. Charity wouldn’t care though anyways…

“Maybe…but so far all I’ve learnt is that animals smell like a room full of garbage and that meerkats can bite peoples arses” Charity smirks over at Vanessa, who laughs back.

*

“Does this look alright?” Vanessa asks. They’re back at the hotel changing into something more suitable to work behind a bar in. Vanessa’s got grey jeans on and a black vest, there’s also a flannel tied behind her waist.

“Course it does, why you asking me for?” Charity’s busy folding her overalls after changing into a shirt sleeve red blouse and black jeans.

“Well you’re a barmaid aren’t ya, do I look ‘barmaid-y’ enough?” Vanessa does a twirl.

“You look great babe, and because of your pretty little face you can get away with not having to look like a sleaze”

“Eh?” Vanessa frowns.

“Well all people care about at bars is drink, music and the hot women serving them, trust me, if you haven’t got the face” she waves her finger in a circular motion at her own face, “then you’ve gotta have the bust” and as if emphasising her point she undo’s the button on her blouse, pushing her own pair up and shrugging.

Vanessa steps forward, “well thanks…I think” she steps closer until she’s stood in front of the taller blonde, who’s especially taller now because of Charity’s heals. Vanessa has to crane her neck backwards to look at her. “…but you’re pretty too, gorgeous even, so..” She slowly reaches her arms forward, her dainty little fingers fingering the button Charity had just clasped shut on her blouse and fastens it, a symbolism of some sort.

“Better” Vanessa steps backwards after running her arm down Charity’s arm, the latter woman stood frozen in the middle of the hotel room. She thinks her hearts thumping, a strange feeling crawls it’s way through her chest. She tilts her head and watches as Vanessa goes back to the bed causally to begin applying her makeup. Yep, she definitely likes this Vanessa.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really cba to spell check so ignore them if they’re there haha. 
> 
> Idk if I can be bothered to finish this? So like lmk what you guys think.

The music booms loudly all the way to the outdoor dance floor, the rooms almost shaking with the hard bass of the Spanish club music being played. The bar is already quite full, teenagers bop their heads with drinks in their hands surrounded by a dozen of their friends. The bar is a typical holiday vibe, there’s big lillos outside shaped like ice cream cones and flamingos, there’s umberella’s poking out from almost every drink they serve and there’s a karaoke machine in the corner. It’s only early in the day but drinks are building on the bar and the interns have to rush around collecting glasses before another layer of empty and half finished drinks get piled on. Vanessa looks stressed to the max and Finn looks as if he’s about to have a heart attack when a punter comes up to him saying he gave them the wrong change. Charity had stood in front of him and crossed her arms, a little flattery and the tall Spanish guys were buying more drinks instead of trying to pull a fast one, Finn was like a mathematician geek after all so Charity knew his change wouldn’t have been incorrect.

She’s about to go and collect more glasses when she sees her smaller friend, friend? Yeah they’re friends she thinks. Anyway, Vanessa is looking all flustered by the karaoke machine, apparently one of the microphones weren’t working but it seemed like the tanned, tall guy wasn’t really bothered anymore. She watches as he practically drools when Vanessa bends doesn’t to fiddle with the wires.

“There all done” Vanessa stands up oblivious and hands him the fixed mic, he takes it and steps closer. She coughs awkwardly stepping back.

“You gonna give us a song love?” He speaks with a quite posh accent, and he waves the microphone in Vanessa’s direction.

She shakes her head, “no ta, I’d probably scare the punters” she jokes, making another move to step back to the bar but getting blocked again by the punter. Charity’s already moving around the side of the bar.

“Maybe you could give us something else then…” he winks at her, making a clicking sound with his tongue and his arms go to hold her in position, trailing down her side, hands coming dangerously close to her backside. Vanessa’s eyes widen and she freezes.

“Oi ya perv, back off” Vanessa breaths a sigh of relief. The tall blonde steps in front of the guy, creating a barrier between him and Vanessa.

“Don’t you ever speak to a woman like that again” she’s jabbing her finger in his chest, advancing as he walks backwards like predator to pray. She almost snarls at him, the dirty smirk on his face.

“Or what?” The guy shrugs.

There’s a slap and an exclamation of gasps, the loudest one being Vanessa’s, who’s gaping at Charity. Rita notices the commotion and quickly settles the situation, reprimanding Charity for hitting a customer but barring the guy anyway and telling him to take his filthy mates, who were sniggering in the corner, with him.

“Is your hand okay?” Vanessa asks, stepping closer to Charity and place her own gentle hand against the back of Charity’s crossed arms. She pries them open and drops their hands together, squeezing Charity’s.

“What? Oh yeah, probably a bit dirty from touching that dirt bag though…” She scoffs a laugh. “Are you okay? He didn’t touch you did he?” She says quietly, her eyes raking over Vanessa worriedly.

Vanessa tugs on her hand and encourages her to meet her eyes. “No, I’m fine, thanks to you” she grins, steps into her tiptoes and plants a kiss against Charity’s cheek. “My hero” she says.

“It was nothing” Charity shakes her head, her skin tingling after Vanessa’s lips had met it. Her face flushed and she can feel it burning, her eyes sitting around everywhere but at Vanessa. She thinks she sees Vanessa lean in from the corner of her eye, and she stays still, like a deer in the headlight. Her eyes drop to Vanessa’s lips, and she thinks they’re pouted and they’re slowly getting closer to her, as if daring to edge further. Her breath quickens and her eyes close, somethings about to happen between them, she’s not sure what but she welcomes it, welcomes this tiny little ball of sunshine. But then it’s over because Rita demands to see Charity behind the bar, and she sighs, walking away and popping their little bubble.

Vanessa’s eyes linger on Charity for a few seconds, her heart hammering. She leaves the microphone in the stand and heads back behind the bar snapping herself out of her daze.

*

Vanessas surprised at how much she’s enjoyed working behind the bar, she found herself dancing joyfully while mixing up cocktails and singing along to the songs she knew. She especially enjoyed the way Charity would come up to her and grab her waist, then she’d twirl her on her way to grab another glass or deliver an order to a customer. Charity was definitely in her element, charming the customers and showing off her cocktail making skills.

They’re walking through the warm Spanish streets, the smell of hot and spicy food being carried through the stuffy wind. Charity sees Rhona getting particularly flirty with Pete, she nudges Vanessa to make fun of their joint hands and ditsy smiles when talking quietly with each other, stood a little further away from the rest of the group.

“…t-that’s about it really, oh and I also did some work experience in a dog shelter” Charity’s picking up on the end of the conversation Vanessa’s having with Paddy about being a vet.

“I wish we had a dog” Finn pipes in.

“When I was younger we had this little golden, she was gorgeous, then my mum made us sell her because she made a mess of the living room or whatever” Vanessa says, looking down sadly.

“Why what did she do?” Finn asks.

“She only ripped a few letters up” Vanessa laughs at the memory. “I remember walking in and there were bits all over the carpet” Charity laughs through her nose lightly. “Mum wasn’t pleased, the next day she took her without even telling me and then I came home from school to find all her toys and cage gone”

Paddy sighs. “That’s awful”

“Bet you were right upset” Finn adds.

“I was, cried for days and I wouldn’t come out of my room” Vanessa says. They turn the next street and ahead there’s bunches of people outside their hotel, drinks in hand and in the background there’s live music.

“What a bitch” Charity says, reaching her hand to squeeze Vanessa’s hand.

“That’s my mum alright” Vanessa laughs sarcastically.

They walk for a few more minutes until they reach the hotel. Ross appears from basically no where with a brunette hooked around his arm, he smiles cheekily, shouting a quick “ _stay out of the room”_ to the other Barton’s, Finn mumbles about wanting to grab his Nintendo DS or something.

“Hey do you wanna meet for drinks in a bit?” Pete asks the group, Rhona in tow.

Charity shrugs, looks at Vanessa who then says, “why not, see you in an hour?”

They head their separate ways, Charity and Vanessa going up to their room.

“You are alright about meeting them lot later aren’t you? Cos if not we can just do something here” Vanessa asks, throwing herself on the bed before plugging her phone in.

Charity kicks her shoes off, busying herself with grabbing her toiletry bag, she empties the little travel shampoos and conditioners and things before starting to undress casually. Vanessa may have gulped at the sight of her toned arms and abs, _may_ have. (She definitely did)

“Course babe, they’re not as bad as I thought they’d be, and besides, it’s an all inclusive bar downstairs so why would I not wanna make use of that?” Charity grind.

Vanessa grabs her phone to distract herself from the way Charity is so casually flaunting her body while folding up her clothes. Well, she isn’t flaunting, but she may as well be with the way she’s so confidently undressing in front of her. Vanessa had to force her eyes to move. She was basically half clothed anyways, her bra hugging her breasts in a flattering way was the only skin that was showing. She hides her face in her phone when Charity strips her trousers, missing the way Charity recognises the blush on her face and sways over to the bathroom.

“Just gonna shower so, back in a few”

“Yep” Vanessa salutes her, a wide smile on her face.

Charity laughs softly as she enters the bathroom, she’s gathered by now that she definitely likes this Vanessa, but now she’s convinced that Vanessa likes her too.


End file.
